Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

By: Grace Lin

Narrated by: Elaine Wang

This simple, young, and satisfying story follows a Chinese American family as they celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.

Each member of the family lends a hand as they prepare a moonlit picnic with mooncakes, pomelos, cups of tea, and colorful lanterns. And everyone sends thanks and a secret wish up to the moon.

Grace Lin’s story is simple—tailor-made for listening with young children. And she includes an informative author’s note with further details on the customs and traditions of the Moon Festival for parents and teachers. The Moon Festival is one of the most important holidays of the year along with the Lunar New Year, so this book makes an excellent companion to Grace Lin’s Bringing In the New Year, which features the same family.

Critic reviews

"The inviting nocturnal landscapes are vivid with interesting details, and readers will long to join in this peaceful celebration."—School Library Journal

"A beautiful, welcome choice for multicultural studies, this also adds diversity to autumnal thanksgiving themes."—Booklist

"A gentle text and Lin’s rounded art style with her signature night-sky swirls lend themselves nicely to the moon symbolism that is so very important to this celebration. An endnote further describes the festival, emphasizing families coming together, just like the moon returning to its fullness."—Kirkus Reviews